Literacy, so hot right now

I am so busy at work these days that I am behind on all things pop culture.
Sadly, I am most behind on my reading since when I get home totally exhausted I find myself going toward the TV rather than the bookshelf.

I am going to make a serious effort for that to change in the coming weeks and here are three things that will help me...

Nobel prize winning author Ms. Toni Morrison has a new book out. It's called Home and I am picking it up today after work (right before hitting the Wednesday night wine flight at Swirl- it's a Rosè tasting!).
I L-O-V-E Toni Morrison so I am very much looking forward to reading this soon.

Here is a review from the NPR Books page to get you psyched up:
'Home': Toni Morrison's Taut, Triumphant New Novel

Another of my favorite authors, Gillian Flynn has a new book coming out in the beginning of June called Gone Girl. Gillian Flynn is the author of two other books both of which are wicked little stories that I love: Sharp Objects and Dark Places (which I read this morning is being made into a movie). These are not for the faint at heart- they are thrillers but not overly gory or gross- just the perfect amount of grotesque!

On NPR there is an exclusive "first read" excerpt that you can download and listen to or read. I have downloaded it to my i pod so I can listen while cleaning the house this weekend.

Check it out:
Exclusive First Read: 'Gone Girl' By Gillian Flynn

And last but not in the slightest bit least, my friend Ms. Elizabeth Myrddin is writing like the devil these days and I have so much to catch up on!
Here is her newest blog "Inky Heels" (loving that name!)- check it out!
http://inkyheels.wordpress.com

What have you been reading these days in print or electronically?

P.S. Hey locals, tomorrow begins the annual LPO New Orleans Symphony book fair! It is held at Delgado and is free on Friday and Saturday (to get in early Thursday it is a $10.00 donation) I am going to dig for literary treasures on Friday afternoon- bring a bag and head over!

 Book Fair Dates May 17-19, 2012    

Thursday and Friday, May 17 – 18, 9 AM – 8 PM

Saturday, May 19, 9 AM – 4 PM

($10.00 admission on Thursday only)

at Delgado Community College`s Student Life Center. (Entrance at Navarre Ave.)

Benedict Cumberbatch, so hot right now

Season 2 of the BBC's Sherlock begins this Sunday on PBS and I am super excited!

Not only is this show a brilliant update of timeless characters, but the actor who plays Sherlock Holmes, Benedict Cumberbatch is so darned cute! Sorry Don Draper, you're getting DVR'd this Sunday...

Here is is with co-star Martin Freeman as Dr. Watson

If you missed season 1 which aired as 3 90 minute episodes on PBS last year, you can watch instantly on Netflix or download from Amazon.com for only $9.99.

Geek out on Sherlock with the links below:

PBS's main Sherlock page

NPR's interview with Mr Cumberbatch, Benedict Cumberbatch: 'Sherlock,' Smaug And Spying

Fresh Air's piece on the creator of Sherlock, Steven Moffat, who incidentally also rebooted Dr. Who and created one of my all time favorite shows, Coupling.
(If you haven't seen Coupling you can watch on Netflix- you will DIE laughing.)

Innocence, so hot right now

Tonight I am honored to be helping out at the Innocence Project New Orleans' annual gala.
It is a great organization that does amazing work!
Please check out their site and donate...

May, so hot right now

Well hey, May! I love May- it's hot but not "stay inside all day for fear of dying of heatstroke" hot.

In honor of May, I am going to do a project (or a to do item that has been on the list) a (week)day.
I only take on challenges with rhyming schemes.

For day 1 of "project a day May" I am going to go to Home Depot and get paint samples.
Picking paints is really daunting to me so after lots of paint chip collecting, I decided that I am going to use Martha Stewart's paint line sold at Home Depot.

It's great, she created a pallet with over 150 colors that are each catagorized by a symbol. As long as you choose colors with the same symbol, they will all flow together because they have the same undertone, thus taking the guess work out of choosing coordinating colors!

Here is an example- see the little symbols next to the names and formulas? Brilliant, I tell you!

I narrowed down my choices by looking at the whole palette and writing down the names and symbols of all the paint colors I loved. Then I counted them up to see which symbol I had the most of and decided from there.

I had a huge majority of the asterisk * symbol (you can see it above, top middle next to Lamb) so I selected a master bedroom color, 3 very similar colors for the main rooms that I can use all or one of, a fun color for the kitchen and a few "crazy" ones for the bathrooms.

Today after work I am off to Home Depot to purchase little samples of all my colors and start the process of finally getting our house painted!



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Kale, so hot right now

This is a post dedicated to Meri and Sarah...

Kale is having a serious moment right now- it's the veggie du jour (um, that sounds good- I'll have that).

Really, I had never had kale until I started juicing (fruit and veggies, not roids) and then serendipitously, kale has been everywhere.

You can juice it, saute it, eat it in a salad, make chips out of it- it's a super veggie!
Personally, I like it in green juice and in veggie soup.

It even showed up in my weekly Hollygrove Market box (there is is on the top right being all green and leafy- another one of my instagram photos)

I used mine in a really quick and easy soup made with chicken broth, shredded chicken from a rotisserie chicken we had half eaten, carrots, zucchini, and leeks (all three also from the Hollygrove box). Add some S&P and a few bay leaves and you're good to go!

Next time I may try to make kale chips since Martha makes them look so easy in her Chili sauce kale chips:

Kale is having a moment...what will be the next fad veggie to take it's place?!

Instagram, so hot right now...

I am totally late to the table on this one but, I use an Android phone so I was just able to download the Instagram app!

In case you don't know what it is, Instagram is an app for your phone that allows you to "artsy up" your photos and share them with followers.

So far I only have 2 photos up and only one of them is artsy...
I was at an antiques shop this weekend and saw this very Game of Thrones House Targaryen dragon planter so I snapped my first Instagram photo:

I still have to learn how to take better pictures as far as centering, cropping, getting interesting POVs, but I think this is pretty good for a my first one. You can follow me on Instagram- my user name is eamwilliams...
Comment and share yours!

PS- work as been so NOT hot right now for me but hopefully it will turn around soon and I will be able to update more- so stick around, I'm not done yet!

Spartacus, so hot (and very sexy) right now

Spartacus on the Starz channel just wrapped up it's 3rd season and it was AWESOME!

The show began in 2010 with it's first season Spartacus: Blood and Sand and quickly became one of my favorite shows. While the first few episodes are a bit hard to get through- really, they play as soft core porn in an ancient Roman setting- if you can stick with it you will not be disappointed; the language is foul, the deaths are numerous and bloody, deception abounds and the sex is hot and heavy.

Season two, Spartacus: Gods of the Arena is actually a prequel of season 1 because the star of Spartacus, Andy Whitfield had cancer and rather than go on without him, the prequel season was made with the hope that Andy would be able to return in the role of Spartacus. Sadly, Andy Whitfield died in 2011, but he gave his blessing for a new actor, Liam McIntyre to take the roll.

Andy Whitfield as Spartacus- swoon...

Lucy Lawless and John Hannah play Lucretia and Quintus- the Mr. and Mrs. of the House of Batiatus

Liam McIntyre as Spartacus- season 3 swoon...

Crixus and Gannicus- Champions of Capua swoon...

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Treat Yo' Self, so hot right now

TGIF! These will be arriving at my doorstep this afternoon...they're like jellies!
I decided to treat myself because I have had a pretty crappy week and they were only $40.00 so why not!
They are called "Quin" by Harajuku Lovers and come in other fun colors for summer.

Have a great weekend!

Mixology, so hot right now

Fancy drinks are where it's at right now!
They are so hot that there is a hilarious Portlandia sketch about it:



Here in NOLA we have 2 bars that I frequent that make fancy drinks, Bar Tonique in the French Quarter and Cure Uptown.

Personally, I am no good at mixing fancy drinks, but here are some recipes I have found on Pinterest that I am looking froward to trying this summer.

Vodka Thyme Lemonade from Martha. She has a ton of yummy recipes, cause you know Martha loves a good cocktail!

Champagne cocktail with lemon sorbet and mint- it's like an adult sno ball and perfect for a hot summer day!

Cheers!

Trailers, so hot right now

No, not the double wide kind, the movie kind!
I am a huge movie fan and I love watching previews...especially online when I should be doing something else- like maybe working?!

A good preview can really set the mood and get you totally psyched for the movie. A great example is the preview for the recent American remake of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo".
This preview is brilliant and 100% captures the mood of the story. I saw the movie finally this weekend and thought it was really well done (but I still prefer the original Lisbeth Salander).

Then there are the trailers that set the internet abuzz, especially for all the dorks like me.
Here are 2 that are doing that right now... "Prometheus" and "The Hobbit":

This week is bursting at the seams with movies for me- luckily my new Tracy Anderson DVD is on the way b/c I am going to need to work off all the popcorn!

I saw "The Hunger Games" last night and thought it was a really great adaptation of the book. I can't wait for the second one now.

Tomorrow night I am going to see a special screening of Ti West's "The Innkeepers" at the Chalmette theater! I loved West's last movie the 80's inspired "House of the Devil" so I can't wait to see the movie tomorrow!

And on Wednesday I am going to an advanced screening of the new Clive Owen movie, "The Intruders"

I am so excited for these 2 screenings...I love scary movies!!

Antelope carpet, so hot right now

I am OBSESSED with this carpet from Stark Carpet- it's the perfect mix of cool and classic and glamour...
I really want this for our master bedroom minus the border so that means we need to get the carpet and not the rug and that means custom and that means we can't afford it.

There is another carpet company call Couristan Carpet that makes a very similar pattern so next week to hunt begins!
I am going to try to source this locally and then convince Wayne that a large custom rug is the only way to go in our new bedroom!

I am already envisioning a huge rug under our bed...cream or maybe grey walls because I love the tan/grey combo and crisp white linens...le sigh.

My new haircut, so hot right now

I am blessed with many things but good hair is not one of them.
I would kill for thick, wavy, Pantene/Breck girl hair but until science figures out how to give it to me, I am stuck with baby fine, straight, limp hair.

I have tried to fight it all my life but this Saturday I decided to just accept it and cut it all off!
Sorry but, I can't post a picture of my new do yet because my husband is not adept at making me look good in iPhone photos...hopefully soon I can get one of my lady friends to snap a shot!

Edie Sedgwick was my main inspiration when choosing the type of cut I wanted and my new cut is very similar to her's. However, since I don't have thick hair and the summer humidity has already begun to make everyone's hair lay flat, I will usually wear mine like the second photo:

I also used this photo of Sienna Miller with her haircut to play Edie in the movie "Factory Girl:

My hair color is more similar to this:

Here are 2 other Hollywood Ladies who are rocking short hairstyles that inspired me to cut mine:

Emma Watson and Carey Mulligan- both soooo cute, n'est pas?

 Now I need to buy some big chandelier earrings and new clothes to show off my new do!

Change is good!

Treat Yo' Self, so hot right now

In the spirit of Tom and Donna, I had a bit of a treat yo' self week.
If you don't watch Parks and Rec you're missing out, and you wouldn't know what Treat Yo' Self is all about. Here's a quick primer:

My first purchase was a super cute pair of new summer shoes because even though it is only mid-March, it already feels like summer here in NOLA! Here's the pair I got the "Memories of You" by Seychelles:

My next purchase is a bit silly but I literally could not resist. It's Tracy Anderson's newest DVD for the mini trampoline:

Lastly, I picked up a super cute new pair of jeans- the Trouser Jean from Banana Republic. They are really lightweight and a light blue wash so they are perfect for summer, and they look extra cute with my new shoes!

Game of Thrones, so hot right now

If you haven't seen Game of Thrones stop reading right now and do one of the following:
-add it to your Netflix queue and eagerly wait by your mailbox
- go buy season 1
- pay for HBO so you can watch the whole thing on demand or on HBO Go

Don't torrent it b/c this show needs money so more seasons can get made. I read somewhere that each episode costs about 5 million to make- 10 per season...you do the math. That could be totally untrue but I'm not taking any chances!

The acting in the series is great, Peter Dinklage won some awards for his portrayal of the imp, Tyrion Lannister, and the sets are amazing. The plot is wound so tight that there is not one episode too many and while the story is told to perfection you'll wish the season was 10 more episodes.

Seriously, this show is so good I just finished watching the first season for the second time, and am about 400 pages into book 2 "A Clash of Kings".  If you're not a fantasy lit person (which I am not but I couldn't wait any longer), then you're in for a treat because Season 2 starts Sunday, April 1st on HBO, so you won't have to wait months between season 1 and 2 like I did...


Another thing that's so hot right now- celebrating my friend Jenn's birthday this evening with the girls!
Lady Paradise @ Swirl Wine!
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Crawfish boils, so hot right now

Yesterday was quite possible the perfect day here in NOLA.
It was sunny and in the 70's with a fantastic breeze...the perfect day for beer drinking and crawfish eating!
So that's what we did with our friends Dave and Mallory at one of our favorite bars, PRAVDA.

Sorry but, not my photo...I was too busy sippin' Abita Strawberry beer and stuffing my face to snap a picture!

George Michael, so hot right now- and always, to me

I fell in love with George he first time I saw the Wham! video for  "The Edge of Heaven" on Nick Rocks on Nickelodeon. It had to be 1986 or 87 so I was 10 or 11

My love affair- and the world's really- continued through the late 80's early 90's when George grew up and put on his iconic leather jacket and tight jeans- literally, so hot right now!

This may be the sexiest song ever...

Then George put out what I consider a stellar album "Listen Without Prejudice" and he blew up the "Faith" juke box and burned his leather jacket to become a more serious artist.

Here's my fav. song from that album, "Waiting For That Day"

In the mid-nineties, he released "Older" that was on heavy rotation for me the summer of '96.

"Fastlove" is one of his best, I think:

After "Older" George put out the 2 CD collection of his best. One CD was "For the Heart" and included all his slow ballads while the 2nd CD was "For the Feet" and kept you dancing all day.

It included the song "Outside" which was his response to his confrontation with the police in a London park's public restroom...

He then released his newest albums "Patience" and "25 Live" before embarking on a US tour that I had the pleasure of attending in Atlanta in 2008.

Here is my fav. song from "Patience", "Precious Box":

So there you have it, a very quick and not at all comprehensive look at George's career and some of the songs that make me love him-- hope you do too!

Tracy Anderson, so hot right now

I am a bit obsessed with this tiny lady.

Even though I think she may be a robot because of the amount of reps she can do with out breaking a sweat, 4-5 days a week I am right there with her...except I am sweating...and cursing her...

She has a few DVDs, some webisodes and her 10 week Metamorphosis DVD series and I have them all.

My favorites to do are the Mat DVD, the Perfect Design series, and the arms webisode; I personally  am really not a huge fan of the sequences in the Metamorphosis "Omnicentric" program, but sometimes I do them b/c they are only 30-40 mins.

The mat DVD is about 50 mins. long and works your whole body with an especially killer arm sequence.
The Perfect Design series are also almost an hour long and are total body workouts.

Some of the things Tracy does take a little getting used to- she doesn't provide a lot of instruction about the moves she is asking you to do on any of the DVDs except the mat workout and her arms and standing ab exercises take a bit of practice.

I could do the Mat or Perfect Design DVDs everyday- I really don't get bored, but some mornings when I really don't want to do too much I do 2 webisodes that total about 30 mins.- butt and thighs and arms.
Here are both sequences so you can try them too!

Arms:

Butt & Thigh:

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Pinterest, so hot right now

OK, so for my first real post of something that is so hot right now I figured I would start with something that has become an online obsession for me and lots of other people- Pinterest.

I LOVE PINTEREST!
It's digital hoarding! It's all the crap I would tear from magazines with out the paper! It's brilliant!

It's especially handy for me because I am in the process of designing and decorating my new house so I can keep all my (totally out of reach crazy expensive) inspiration photos on boards divided by the type of rooms.

I can also keep track of all those recipes and crafts I will never make but totally would if I was Bree Van De Kamp.

So, if you're not on Pinterest get on it and follow my boards!

Blogging, so hot right now

All the cool kids are blogging but I was never one of those...so I'm a bit late to the table, as usual.

The idea for this blog started while drinking wine on the porch with my sister.

It's funny how many things in New Orleans start while drinking wine on the porch...

We were quoting Zoolander and talking about blogging and thought it would be funny to have a blog about all things that are "so hot right now", like Hansel in the movie.

So, many, many bottles of wine later I decided I would stop just reading blogs and write one myself. I doubt there will be many followers but that's OK with me. I prefer intimate get-togethers over giant blow out parties anyway.

Follow me if you want to read about all the stuff- books, music, TV, movies, clothes, makeup, design, food, people, places, things- that I think are So Hot Right Now!